Displacement-pump.



E. A. WATTS & I. L. DUNN.

DISPLACEMENT PUMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-8.1915.

Patented June 20, 1916.

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E. A. WATTS & I. L. DUNN.

DISPLACEMENT PUMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a, 1915.

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ELMER A. WATTS, OF SPRINGFIELD, AND IRWIN L. DUNN, 0F MARIETTA, OHIO.

DISPLACEMENT-PUMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented June 20, 1916.

Application filed March 8, 1915. Serial No. 12,795.

To all whom-it may concern."

Be it known that we, ELMER A. WATTS and IRWIN L. DUNN, citizens of the United States, residing at Springfield, Clark county, and Marietta, Washington county, Ohio, re-

spectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Displacement- Pumps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. a

This invention relates todisplacement pumps, and'more particularly to a pump of this type for use in pumping oil. Displacement pumps have heretofore been used in oil wells but it has been customary to control these pumps by hand, that is, the air was admitted at such intervals as it was thought necessary to remove the oil from the well and at the end of a pumping operation the air supply was cut off and the exhaust opened. This, however, entailed not only a great deal of labor but also a loss of power. The flow of oil to an oil well is gradual and in the case of an old well which has been rant the operation of the pump. As there is no way of determining the amount of oil in the well the operation of the pump is neces' sarily based onthe estimated time that is required for the well and pump chamber to fill to the desired extent. If the air is admitted to the pump before it has filled to the desired extent there is a waste of air and power. If the oil is not pumped until after 7 the well has filled to as great an extent as it will fill there is a loss because during this period no oil enters the well. Further, the different wells in a field or group of wells, will require pumping at different intervals.

;Hence, it will be apparent that constant attention and much labor is required to pump each well at the end of the estimated period. An object of the present invention is to overcome these difliculties and eliminate a large part of the labor necessary in the operation of the pumps; to eliminate waste of power; and to cause the wells to be promptly pumped when filled, thus eliminating loss from this source.

To accomplish'this it is a further object of the invention to provide means for automatically controlling the admission of air to and its exhaust from the pump; and it is a further object of the invention to mount in the well an oil receptacle having means cooperating therewith to automatically admit the air when the oil has reached a predetermined level and to exhaust the air therefrom when the oil has dropped below another predetermined level.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a pump with a valve mechanism for controlling both the inlet and exhaust of air to and from the well, which valve mechanism will be controlled by a weight.

Further, it is an object of the invention to provide means for connecting the weight with the valve after the weight has been placed in-the well. Y 1

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a mechanism which will be simple in its construction and operation;

and which will be so constructed and arranged that there will be little or no wear upon the parts thereof and very little attention will be required to maintain the same in working condition.

It is also an object of the invention to prevent dirt and sand from clogging the valve through which the fiuid enters the pump.

s In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view taken vertically through a pump embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the upper portion of such a mechanism ;-'Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the valve forming part of the invention; Fig. 4 is a sectional, detail view of the coupling for connecting the float with the valve; and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the coupling showing the separating device.

In these drawings we have illustrated one embodiment of our invention and have shown the same as mounted in an oil well having the usual casing 1 and provided at its lower end witha pocket 2 into which the oil seeps or flows from the surrounding rock. Mounted .in the lower part of the well, preferably near the bottom of the pocket 2, is an oil receptacle, such as a easing 3, having therein an oil chamber which the oil to enter the chamber and rise therein as it rises in the well. In the present instance, the chamber is provided in its hottom with an inlet 4, which' however communicates with the interior of the chamber at valve 7 which-will permit the oil to pass through the opening 4; into the chamber, but which will prevent it from escaping from the chamber through this opening.

The casing 3 which contains-the oil chamber may be supported in the well in any suitable manner, but preferably it is secured to the lower end of a pipe 8 which is supported at its upper end by a head 9, mounted on the outer end of the casing 1, and which constitutes an air conduit by means of which air under pressure may be admitted to the oilchamber. The oil chamber also has a suitable outlet which, in the present instance, is in the form of a pipe 10 extending into the chamber and communicating with. the same at a point below the check valve 7 of the inlet opening. This discharge pipe communicates at its upper end with a pipe 11 which extends upwardly through the casing 1 of the well, is supported by the head 9 of the casing, and, at a point above the casing,is connected with a pipe 12 leadmg to the tank or' other receptacle for the o1 pipes 10 and 11, is provided at a. point above the chamber with a check valve 13 which prevents the-oil in the pipe 11 flowing back into the chamber when the pressure therein drops. By placing the lower end of the discharge pipe 10 below the check valve 7 of the inlet-opening 1 any sand or grit which may be present in the oil is prevented from settling on the valve seat and interfering with the proper seating of the valve or cutting the valve seat, most of the sand, etc., being carried out through the pipe 10 before it can pile up to the valve 7.

It will be apparent that the oil entering the well will gradually fill the oil chamber, and, when the oil has filled this chamber to a predetermined point, air under pressure is admittedto the upper end of the cylinder, through the pipe 8, and the oil forced from the chamber through thedischarge line. The admission of the air is automati cally controlled, and, to this end, we have provided a controlling device, which prefer- I ably is in the form of a combined inlet and exhaust valve and which is in turn controlled by the rise and fall of the oil in the oil chamber of the pump. In the present construction we have mounted in the oil chamber a weight 14, the movements of which control both the admission of air to the oil chamber and the exhausting of the air therefrom. The controlling device or The discharge line, comprising the valve, in the form here shown, comprises a casing 15 which is mounted on a bracket 16 rigidly secured to the head 9 of the casing 1 and, in the present instance, clamped to the upper end of the pipe 11. If desired, the clamping collar 17, which forms a part of the bracket, may be utilized to support thepipe 11 on the head 9. The casing 15 of the combined inlet and exhaust valve has formed therein ,a conduit or chamber 18 which communicates by-means of a pipe '19 with the air pipe 8 leading to the oil chamber. This chamber or conduit 18: also communicates with a pipe 20 which is connected with a source'of supply of air under pressure,.such as a pump or container in which is valve-controlled and, in the present instance, .the inlet or supply pipe 20 and the exhaust'port are arranged near the oppo-. site ends of the casing 15 and are connected with the chamber 18 by means of ports 22 and'23, respectively, which ports are controlled by valve members 24 and 25, respec 27 mounted in longitudinal guideways formed in the casing 15. Springs 28 and 29 act on the respective valves to move them toward their seats andwhen unrestricted will serve to hold both valves closed.

Means are provided for causing the valve 24 to be opened when the fluid rises around the weight 14 to a certain predetermined position and for causing thevalve 25 tobe opened, and the valve 24 closed, when the fluid lowers around the weight to a predetermined position, This means may be of various kinds but, in the present instance, the valves are shifted by means of air presthe air is stored. N0 source of supply is p tively, the valves having valve stems 26 and sure derived from the supply'line 20. .To

responding spring 28. In the present instance this piston is hollow at both ends to receive bosses 32 and 33 which extend into the cylinder at the opposite ends thereof and in which are formed the guideways for the valve stems 26 and 27 Communicating with the cylinder 30 at the opposite ends thereof are two inlet ports 34 and 35. The

4 port 34 is adapted to communicate with a conduit 36 which is connected by a passageway 37 with the air supply conduit 20. The

passageway 36 is normally closed by means of a check valve 38. The inlet port for the cylinder 30 communicates with a conduit 39 which is connected by a by-pass 40 with the conduit 36 and, consequently, with the supply line. The conduit 39 is also controlled by a'check valve, 41, which is normally held closed by the pressure of the air within the conduit. The valve casing is here shown as provided with a recess 42 arranged between the two conduits 36 and 39. Slidably mounted in the casing on opposite sides of the recess are plungers 43 and 44,

the outer ends of which extend into the recess 42 and the inner ends of which are arranged adjacent to the balls of the check valves 38 and 41. Pivotally mounted on the casing above the recess 42 is a lever 45 having below its axis a finger 46 extending into the recess 42 and so arranged that when the lever is rocked in one direction the finger will engage the plunger 44 and when the lever is rocked in the opposite direction the finger will engage the plunger 43. When the finger 46 engages the plunger 44 it shifts the same longitudinally and unseats the valve 41, thus permitting the air to pass about the valve through the inlet port 35 to the cylinder-30, thereby shifting-the piston to the left in Fig. 3, unseating-the inlet valve 24, and permitting the air to How from the supply line 20 through the conduit or chamber 18, conduit 19 and pipe 8 to the oil chamber in the casing 3. When the lever is rocked in the opposite direction the plunger 44 is released, the ball valve permitted to seat under air pressure and subsequently the finger 46 will engage the plunger 43 and unseat the valve 38, thus per mittingthe air toenter the cylinder 30 at the opposite end of the piston thereby shifting the piston to the right, in Fig. 3, unseating the exhaust valve 25 and permitting the with the atmosphere.

air which has been forced'into the oil chamber under pressure to escape therefrom. To exhaust the airfrom the cylinder 30 and permit the movement of the piston in one direction or the other relief ports 47 and 48 'are provided to connect the ports 34 and 35 These relief ports are so arranged, however, that when either plunger, 43 or 44, is in a position to unseat its check valve, it will extend across and close the corresponding relief port and when this plunger is in its retracted position, the body of the plunger will be moved out of alinement with the relief port, thus opening the same and. connecting it with the corresponding inlet port for the cylinder. The length of the piston is such that when the central portion thereof is in engagement with one of the bosses 32 or 33 the adjacent are mounted in these grooves and the pressure within the cylinder acts on the rings, through the ports 50, and compresses the rings outward into engagement with the wall of the cylinder. Y

The movement of the lever 45 is controlled by means of the weight 14 and, to this end, the lever is provided with arms 51 and 52 extending in opposite directions therefrom in a line transverse to the axis of the lever. One of these arms, in the present instance, the arm 51, is connected with the weight, preferably by means of a wire 53. The other arm, 52,-is provided with a counterweight 54. Normally, the weight is heavier than the counterweight. However, as the fluid rises around the weight its weight will gradually decrease until the counterweight is able to move the weight upward. The well known principle of Archimedes is utilized. It will be apparent that as the weight rises the lever 45 will be rocked about its axis by the counterweight 54, thus causing the finger 46 to engage the plunger 44 and cause the opening of the valve 24 to admit air to the chamber. As theoil is forced out of the chamber the weight 14 will finally move downward against the action of the counterweight 54 and thus rock the lever 45 in the opposite direction,'causing the air to be exhausted from this chamber, as above explained. It should be noticed that the action of the valves 24 and 25 is successive. One is fully closed before the other is opened. To secure a quick positive action of the valve the lever 45 is provided with a weight 55 which is lifted as the lever is rocked through the first portion of its movement and, when the lever has been moved far enough-to carry the weight past its center of gravity, will move quickly to the limit of its movement in the direction in which it has been started. The arm 51 of the lever may be connected with the wire .53 in any suitable manner. It is preferable, however, that a. rod be interposed between the arm and the wire in order that the opening through which it extends into the pipe 8 may be more readily packed. We have, therefore, mounted on the upper end of the pipe 8,v and preferably on the coupling between the pipe Sand the pipe 19, two parallel guide rods 56 on which is slidably mounted a cross head 57, this cross head having secured thereto a rod 58 which extends through a stutfing box 59 in the upper end of the coupling and has the wire 53 fastened thereto at a point within the pipe 8. The cross head 57 is connected with' the end of the arm 51 and this connection preferably comprises a spring 60 which serves to cushion the movements of the parts and prevent undue strain thereon and to permit the quick movement of the lever in one direction.

If the wire were attached to the weight before the latter Was inserted in the well it would be necessary to string the sections of the air pipe onto the wire as they were placed in position in the well and, in the case of adeep well, this would cause a great deal of difliculty. We have, therefore, provided means whereby the connection between the wire and the weight may be made after the weight is in position.-

The weight, which is here shown as a meter cylinder, has secured to its upper end a rod 61 to which is secured a coupling member comprising a tubular casing 62 and having at its upper end an inwardly extending annular shoulder 63, the upper and lower faces of which are beveled. Arranged within the tubular casing 62 is a series of jaws 64 having their upper ends beveled on both theinner and outer sides and provided with inwardly extending shoulders which, when the several jaws are in engagement one with the other, constitute an annular shoulder. A spring 66 is confined in the casing and exercises anupward pressure on the jaws 64, causing the beveled upper ends thereof to engage the beveled shoulder-63, which forces theminward. Cooperating with this coupling member is a second-coupling member which comprises a shank 67 having at its lower end a tapered head 68 which is provided at its upper end with a square shoulder. This head is of such a diameter that it will pass through the opening in the upper end of the casing 62 and its tapered end will engage the tapered inner walls of the jaws 64. The weight of the coupling member is suflicient. to overcome the tension of the spring 66 and the jaws will be forced downward and as they move away from the beveled shoulder 63 will be spread apart to permit the head 68 to pass between the same. 'As soon as the shoulder of the head has passed the shoulder 65 of the jaws 6 the spring 66 will again move the jaws upward against. the beveled shoulder 63, closing them by the shank 67 with the shoulder 65 in opposed engagement with the shoulder of the head 68, thus firmly conmeeting the two coupling members, and inasmuch as the second coupling member is-secured to the wire 53 it will be apparent that the wire is likewise, in this manner, connected with the weight, The size of the easing 62, relative to the pipe in which it is mounted, is such that when'the arrow like coupling member drops down to the pipe itsvtapered end necessarily enters the upper end of the casing. In order that the coupling members may be separated to permit the removal of the wire without the removal of the weight, a sleeve 69 may be placed about the wire and allowed to move along the same into the Well. This sleeve is of such a diameter that it will enter the upper end of the casing 62 and has its lower end beveled to engage the beveled edges of the j aws and force the same apart, the weight of. the sleeve being suflicient to compress the spring 66, and 'thus permitthe head 68 of the upper coupling member to be withdrawn from the casing62.

When the weight has moved, downward to reverse the flow of air through the pipe 8 there still remains in the oil chamber more or less oil. Byrestricting the exhaust of the air, thatis, permitting the same to exhaust slowly, the air in the chamber will be permitted to expand and will force out of the chamberan additional quantity of the oil. The exhaust of the air may be restricted in any suitable manner, as by the use of an ordinary air valve 70'which can be adjusted to regulate the quantity of air that passes through the same. As it requires a considerable length of time for the chamber to fill with oil it will be apparent that the exhaust of the air can be restricted to a' considerable extent and, after it has ceased to expand, it will still escape fast enough to prevent any interference with the entrance of the oil into the chamber. When the apparatus is working normally it is so adjusted that'the lower end of the pipe 10 is always fluid sealed. This prevents air from mixing with the oil and spoiling thesame.

The operation of the mechanism will be readily understoodfrom the foregoing description and it will be apparent that the operation of the pump is automatically controlled by the rise and fall of the oil in the oil chamber, and further, that the mechanism by which this is accomplished is of a simple, durable construction and is of such a character that it will require very little attention to keep it in operative condition.

While we have shown and describedone embodiment of our invention it will be understood that this has been chosen for the purposes of illustration only, and that we do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown. and described, for obvious modifications will occur' to a person skilled in the art. 7 I

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters lfatent, is

1. In a pump, a casing having a chamber communicatingwith a source of fluid supply, an outlet therefor, a valve casing com,- municating with said chamber with a source of compressed air and with an exhaust, in-

dependently operable valves controlling the admission of, compressed air and exhaust, means controlled by compressed air for operating said valves, and means controlled by the rise and fall of fluid in said chamber for operating said valve-operating means, said fluid-controlled means comprising a weight in said chamber operatively connected to said valve-operating means, and means embodying a force working in opposition to said Weight.

,2. In a pump, a casing having a chamber communicating with a source of fluid supply and provided with an outlet, said chamber communicating with a source of compressed air, a valve member located in said communicating portion, and compressed air means for opening and closing said valve to admit compressed air to said chamber, said compressed air means comprising a piston' operatively associated with said valve member, passages connecting one end of said piston with a source of compressed air and with an exhaust, said passages being independently controlled by separate valves, and means controlledby the rise and fall of the fluid within said chamber for operating said valves.

3. In a pump, a casing having a chamber communicating with a source of fluid supply, said chamber having an outlet, a valve casing communicating with said chamber with a source of compressed air and with an exhaust, and-means for controlling the admission of compressed air and the exhaust, said means comprising valve members, -a piston for controlling the same, pa'ssages connecting the ends of the piston with a source of compressed air and with an ex haust, valves controlling the adm1ss1on of 40 mentioned valves.

4:. In a pump,a casing having a chamber communicating with a source of fluid supply, a discharge pipe for said chamber, a valve casing having a chamber communicating with said first-mentioned chamber, with a source of compressed air and with an exhaust, a valve controlling the admis 5 sion of compressed air, an exhaust valve,

said valves being independently mounted in said valve casing and arranged to operate one at a time, compressed air means for operating first one valve and then the other, and means for controlling the admission of compressed air to ,said compressed air means.

5. In a pump,acasing having a chamber communicating with a source of fluid supply, a discharge pipe leading from said chamber'and an air conduit leading to said chamber, an inlet valve to control said conduit, an exhaust valve, springs tending to keep said valves normally closed, said valves being independently mounted and arranged compressed air and the exhaust in said pas-V sages, and means for operating said lastto operate one at a time, compressed air means for operating first one valve and then the other, and means for controlling the admission of compressed air to said compressed air means.

7O 6. In a pump, a casing having a chamber communicating with a source of fluid supply, a discharge pipe leading from said chamber, an air conduit communicating with said chamber, valves controlling the admission of compressed air and the exhaust thereof, said valves being independently operable and arranged to operate one at a time, air pressure means for operating said valves, and means comprising a weight 30 mounted in said chamber, and controlled by trol said ports, said valve members being independently mounted and spring controlled, a cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder, said cylinder having ports at the opposite ends thereof in communication with said source of compressed air, valves controlling said last-mentioned ports, and means to operate said last-mentioned valves to cause said piston to move said valve members. a

8. In a pump, a casing having a chamber communicating with a source of fluid supply, said chamber having an outlet, said chamber communicating with a source of compressed air, a valve member located in said communicating portion and compressed air means for opening and closing said valve to admit compressed air to said chamber, said compressed air means comprising a piston operatively associated with said valve member, passages connecting one end of said piston with a source of compressed air and with an exhaust, said passages being independently controlled by separate valves, and means for operating said valves.

9. In a pump, a casing having a chamber 1 communicating with a source of fluid supply, said chamber also having an outlet, a valve casing communicating with said chamber with a source .of compressed air and with an exhaust, valves controlling the same and means for controlling said valves, said means comprising a cylinder, conduits connecting the opposite ends of said cylinder with a source of air supply, check valves interposed in said conduits between the cylinder and the source of air supply, said con duits also being provided with exhaust ports, plungers to open the respective check 130 which communicates'with a source of fluid valve s, said. plungers also constituting valves for said exhaust ports, means for op- I 10. In a pump, a cas ng having a chamber provided with a valve-controlled inlet supply, said chamber also having an outlet, an air pipe connected with said chamber, a valve casing having a chamber connected with said air pipe and having ports leading to a source of supply of air under pressure and to an exhaust, valve members to control the respective ports, an actuating device for said valve members comprising a cylinder, and valve-controlled conduits connecting the opposite ends ofsaid cylinder with said source of air supply, a piston mounted in said cylinder, and means connected with the respective valve members and extending into the opposite ends of said cylinder in the path of said piston, whereby the movement of said piston in one direction will open one of said valves and in the other direction will open the other of said valves, a lever pivotally mounted on said valve casing, and

meahs controlled by the movement of said lever for opening one or the other of said valve-controlled passages.

11. In a pump, a casing having a chamber -provided with a valve-controlled inlet which communicates with a source of fluid supply, said chamber also-having an outlet, an air pipe connected with said chamber, a valve casing having a chamber connected with said air pipe and having ports leading to a source of supply of air under pressure and to an exhaust, valve members to control the respective ports, an actuating device for said valve members comprising a cylinder, conduits connecting the opposite ends of said cylinder with said source of air supply, check valves to control the respective conduits, plungers to open the respective valves,

a lever having a part arranged to engage one a of said plungers when said lever moves in one direction and to engage the other of said plungers when the lever moves in the other direction, a piston mounted in said cylinder, and parts connected 1 with the respective valve members and extending into the opposite ends of said cylinder and into the path of said piston.

12. In a displacement pump, the combination, with a pump chamber, of a controlling device comprising a casing having a chamber connected with said pump chamber and having ports leading to a source of supply for air under pressure and to an exhaust, valve members to control said ports, a cylinder arranged between said ports, stems connected with the respective valve members and extending into the opposite ends of said cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder, said cylinder having ports at the op posite ends thereof adapted for communication with said source of air supply, valves controlling said communication, valve-actuating members, a lever pivotally vmounted on said casing and having a part arranged to engage one of said valve actuating members when the lever moves in one direction andto engage the other of said valve-actuating members when the lever "moves .in the other direction, and means to actuate said lever,

l 13. In mpump, a casing having a chamber communicating. with a-source of fluid supply, said chamber being provided with an outlet, an air pipe connecting said chamber- ,piston, and, a plunger for actuating said last-mentioned valve, said plunger constituting means for opening and closing said exhaust port.

In testimony, we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER A. WATTS,

IRWIN L. DUNN. Witnesses to signature of E. A. W'atts:

ALBERT K: SMITH, OLIVER C. CLARKE. Witnesses to signature of I. L. Dunn:

As'ron CHDUNN, IRENE ENGLISH. 

